Diascia plant named ‘DISZ0001’

ABSTRACT

A new  Diascia  plant named ‘DISZ0001’ particularly distinguished by the relatively large, deep red flowers, medium to deep green foliage, strong and freely branching, and a medium sized, semi-upright plant habit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Diasciabarberae.

Varietal denomination: ‘DISZ0001’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Diascia, botanically known asDiascia barberae, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name‘DISZ0001’.

‘DISZ0001’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar‘DISZ0001’ has relatively large, deep red flowers, medium to deep greenfoliage, strong and freely branching, and a medium sized, semi-uprightplant habit.

‘DISZ0001’ originated from a hybridization made in May 2006 in acontrolled breeding program in Enkhuizen, Netherlands. The female parentwas an unpatented, proprietary plant designated ‘H0026-3’, with redflowers, has fewer branches, darker green foliage, is a few days laterto flower.

The male parent of ‘DISZ0001’ was an unpatented, proprietary plantdesignated ‘D29’, with lighter red, slightly larger flowers, with fewerbranches.

The resulting seeds were sown in February 2007. ‘DISZ0001’ was selectedas one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in May2007 in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, Netherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘DISZ0001’ was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection inMay 2007 in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plantinitiated in the spring of 2008 in Andijk and Enkhuizen, Netherlands,and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination ofcharacteristics as herein disclosed for ‘DISZ0001’ are firmly fixed andare retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘DISZ0001’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar have been applied in Canada onDec. 24, 2010, #10-7137 and at the Community Plant Variety Office onOct. 7, 2010, #2010/2108. ‘DISZ0001’ has not been made publiclyavailable more than one year prior to the filing of this application.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of thesecharacteristics distinguishes this Diascia as a new and distinctvariety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower and foliagecharacteristics of ‘DISZ0001’ with colors being as true as possible withan illustration of this type.

The photographic drawing shows in FIG. 1, a flowering plant of the newvariety, and in FIG. 2, a close-up of the flowers.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs were taken in mid June 2011 from plantsgrown in a greenhouse trial in Enkhuizen, Netherlands. These plants weregrowing in 10.5 cm pots and were approximately 3 months of age.

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in Andijk,Netherlands in mid May 2011 using 9 week old greenhouse grown plants.Culture of these plants had started in early March 2011, with plantingof rooted cuttings into 10.5 cm pots. The young plants received terminalpinches of the apices at about 2-3 weeks after planting.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘DISZ0001’ AND A SIMILARVARIETY ‘Diastured’ (U.S. Ser. No. 11/375,472, ‘DISZ0001’ Abandoned)Flower color: RHS 53B RHS 53C Flower diameter: 2.2-2.4 cm 2.2-2.3 cmPlant and growth Semi-upright Upright, spreading habit: Leaf color: RHS137A RHS 138A Leaf margin: Weakly crenate More distinctly serrate

-   Plant:    -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Semi-upright, mounded and freely            branching.        -   Plant height.—12.0-14.0 cm.        -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—19.0-21.0 cm.        -   Plant width.—37.0-39.0 cm.-   Roots:    -   -   Number of days to initiate and develop roots.—7-10 days at            about 22 degrees C.        -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.        -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Simple and opposite; decussate on non-flowering            stems.        -   Immature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 137D.        -   Lower surface.—Closest to RHS 138B.        -   Mature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 137C.        -   Lower surface.—RHS 138A and RHS 137B.        -   Length.—2.2-2.8 cm.        -   Width.—1.4-1.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Almost triangular.        -   Base shape.—Cordate.        -   Apex shape.—Broadly acute to obtuse.        -   Margin.—Weakly crenate.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, almost glabrous with sparse,            very fine hair.        -   Lower surface.—Glabrous.        -   Color of veins, upper surface.—Indistinct from leaf surface.        -   Color of veins, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 144B.        -   Petiole color.—RHS 137D.        -   Length.—0.2-0.4 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.        -   Texture.—Glabrous.-   Stem:    -   -   Color of stem.—RHS 143B to RHS 143C.        -   Length of stem.—24.0-27.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.25 cm.        -   Length of internodes.—2.5-4.0 cm.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color of raceme.—RHS 143A.        -   Length of raceme.—6.0-8.0 cm.        -   Peduncle raceme.—0.15-0.2 cm.        -   Texture.—Glabrous.        -   Pedicel color.—RHS 143C.        -   Pedicel length.—1.4-1.5 cm.        -   Pedicel diameter.—0.1 cm.        -   Pedicel texture.—Glabrous.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Terminal raceme with flowers in an alternate            arrangement at a distance of 0.5-1.0 cm.        -   Blooming habit.—Continuous through the summer months.        -   Quantity of inflorescences per plant.—About 120-160.        -   Quantity of flowers per inflorescences.—Most often 56 open            flowers with additional buds.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—3-4 days.        -   Fragrance.—None.-   Bud (just when opening/showing color):    -   -   Color.—RHS 53A.        -   Length.—0.6 cm.        -   Width.—0.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Round to oval.-   Corolla:    -   -   Type and shape.—Single, zygomorphic, salver-shape, 5 petals            fused at the base, the two small upper petals mainly fused,            two lateral lobes and a broad lower lobe; two short spurs            emerge at the underside, formed by the lower ends of lateral            and lower petals.-   Immature flower:    -   -   Diameter.—1.9-2.1 cm.        -   Color, upper surface.—RHS 53B.        -   Lower surface.—RHS 53C to RHS 53D.-   Mature flower:    -   -   Hortizontal diameter.—2.2-2.4 cm.        -   Vertical height.—2.3-2.5 cm.        -   Depth.—0.5-0.6 cm.        -   Color, upper surface.—RHS 53B.        -   Lower surface.—RHS 53C to RHS 53D around the outer portions            of petals with RHS 53A to RHS 53B in the center of the            petals.        -   Corolla tube color inside.—RHS 53A.        -   Outside.—RHS 53C.        -   Corolla tube length.—0.4-0.5 cm.        -   Corolla texture, outside.—Glabrous.        -   All lobes, apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Glabrous.        -   Upper lobes, length (from the corolla opening).—0.6 cm.        -   Upper lobes, width (joint).—1.2 cm.        -   Lateral lobes, length (from the corolla opening).—0.7-0.8            cm.        -   Lateral lobes, width.—0.9 cm.        -   Lower lobe, length (from the corolla opening).—1.2 cm.        -   Lower lobe, width.—1.7 cm.-   Spur:    -   -   Shape and aspect.—2, short, horn-shaped and downwards            directed.        -   Spur length.—0.7-0.9 cm.        -   Spur diameter.—0.3 cm at upper end.        -   Spur color.—RHS 53A.-   Calyx:    -   -   Form.—5 sepals slanting downwards.        -   Sepal color.—RHS 143A.        -   Sepal length.—0.4 cm.        -   Sepal width.—0.2 cm.        -   Sepal shape.—Deltoid.        -   Sepal apex.—Acute.        -   Sepal base.—Fused.        -   Sepal texture.—Glandular hairs.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Quantity and arrangement.—4; coherent, arching towards and            somewhat twisting around the pistil.        -   Filament, color.—RHS 187A.        -   Length.—0.3-0.4 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.1 cm.        -   Anther color.—RHS 11A.        -   Pollen amount.—Abundant.        -   Pollen color.—RHS 12B.-   Pistil:    -   -   Quantity per flower.—One.        -   Length.—0.4-0.5 cm.        -   Stigma color.—RHS 143D.        -   Style color.—RHS 145C.        -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been observed on this hybrid.-   Disease/pest resistance: Disease/pest resistance has not been    observed on this hybrid.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Diascia plant named‘DISZ0001’ substantially as illustrated and described herein.